Delaware
Measles Cases Reach Highest Level in 35 Years Across the U.S.
Measles cases this year have surpassed all of 2025 to become the worst since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, with cases now in 44 states and the District of Columbia, according to a federal report released Friday. There…
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Key points
- Measles cases in the U.S. have reached a 35-year high with over 2,300 confirmed cases.
- The majority of cases are among unvaccinated individuals, particularly those under 20.
- States like South Carolina and Oklahoma are seeing significant outbreaks due to low vaccination rates.
NewsWK — As of July 23, 2026, measles cases in the United States have surged to their highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, with 2,318 confirmed cases reported this year, surpassing the total of 2,289 cases for all of 2025. This alarming trend has been noted in a federal report, which indicates that cases have been recorded in 44 states and the District of Columbia.
The majority of cases, approximately 93%, have occurred among unvaccinated individuals, predominantly those under the age of 20. While hospitalizations have decreased from 243 last year to 151 this year, there have been no reported fatalities in 2026, a contrast to three deaths in 2025.
The states with the highest number of current measles cases include South Carolina (670), Utah (522), Texas (188), Virginia (176), and Pennsylvania (134). Most of these states have childhood vaccination rates below the 95% threshold deemed necessary to prevent outbreaks among unvaccinated populations. In Virginia, while the statewide vaccination rate is 95.6%, certain rural counties have rates below 75%, contributing to current outbreaks.
Historically, the last time the U.S. experienced higher national cases than recorded in 2025 and 2026 was during the 1990s when vaccination efforts were still expanding. For instance, there were 9,643 cases in 1991 and nearly 28,000 in 1990.
In Oklahoma, where childhood vaccination rates stand at 88.7%, there were 20 measles cases last year, but only one case reported so far this year. Efforts are underway, including a mobile health van initiative aimed at vaccinating thousands of children across the state.
Delaware has also declared a new outbreak, marking its first measles cases in a decade, with five confirmed cases reported recently. The state has a child vaccination rate of 94.1%.
Dr. William Moss, director of the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University, stated, “High vaccination coverage has protected even the unvaccinated and undervaccinated because of herd protection, keeping measles at bay for the past few decades. But in communities with pockets of susceptible individuals across a broad age range, measles has been able to take hold, infecting those who are susceptible and spreading rapidly.”
In November, the Pan American Health Organization is set to review the measles status in the U.S. and may consider revoking the “elimination” status, similar to actions taken for Canada last year.
Based on reporting by Tim Henderson originally published by Stateline. Read the original story.
